TY - JOUR
T1 - Biased Affective Forecasting: A Potential Mechanism That Enhances Resilience and Well-Being
AU - Colombo, Desirée
AU - Fernández-Álvarez, Javier
AU - Suso-Ribera, Carlos
AU - Cipresso, Pietro
AU - García-Palacios, Azucena
AU - Riva, Giuseppe
AU - Botella, Cristina
PY - 2020
Y1 - 2020
N2 - According to a growing body of studies, people’s ability to forecast future emotional experiences is generally biased. Nonetheless, the existing literature has mainly explored affective forecasting in relation to specific events, whereas little is still known about the ability to make general estimations of future emotional states. Based on existing evidence suggesting future-oriented disposition as a key factor for mental health, the aims of the current study were (1) to investigate the relationship between negative (NA) and positive (PA) affective forecasting biases and perceived psychological well-being, and (2) to explore whether positively biased predictions are associated with resilience and foster one’s skills to cope with stressful events. To do so, we asked 85 undergraduate students to forecast PA and NA over 2 weeks, as well as to report their daily affect through a web-based Ecological Momentary Assessment. According to the results, positively biased PA forecasting (i.e., overestimating positive emotional states) was associated with greater perceived psychological well-being and higher resilience. When high levels of stress were experienced, participants holding an optimistic, yet biased, estimation of future PA were more likely to successfully manage stressors, thus maintaining lower levels of NA and higher levels of positive emotions. We suggest that positively biased PA forecasting is an adaptive cognitive distortion that boosts people’s resilience and mental health, thus opening new avenues for the promotion of psychological well-being.
AB - According to a growing body of studies, people’s ability to forecast future emotional experiences is generally biased. Nonetheless, the existing literature has mainly explored affective forecasting in relation to specific events, whereas little is still known about the ability to make general estimations of future emotional states. Based on existing evidence suggesting future-oriented disposition as a key factor for mental health, the aims of the current study were (1) to investigate the relationship between negative (NA) and positive (PA) affective forecasting biases and perceived psychological well-being, and (2) to explore whether positively biased predictions are associated with resilience and foster one’s skills to cope with stressful events. To do so, we asked 85 undergraduate students to forecast PA and NA over 2 weeks, as well as to report their daily affect through a web-based Ecological Momentary Assessment. According to the results, positively biased PA forecasting (i.e., overestimating positive emotional states) was associated with greater perceived psychological well-being and higher resilience. When high levels of stress were experienced, participants holding an optimistic, yet biased, estimation of future PA were more likely to successfully manage stressors, thus maintaining lower levels of NA and higher levels of positive emotions. We suggest that positively biased PA forecasting is an adaptive cognitive distortion that boosts people’s resilience and mental health, thus opening new avenues for the promotion of psychological well-being.
KW - affective forecasting
KW - cognitive bias
KW - ecological momentary assessment
KW - psychological well-being
KW - resilience
KW - affective forecasting
KW - cognitive bias
KW - ecological momentary assessment
KW - psychological well-being
KW - resilience
UR - http://hdl.handle.net/10807/165961
U2 - 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.01333
DO - 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.01333
M3 - Article
SN - 1664-1078
VL - 11
SP - N/A-N/A
JO - Frontiers in Psychology
JF - Frontiers in Psychology
ER -